Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- To act backward; have a backward action or influence; hence, to act upon or affect what is past.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To act backward, or in return; to act in opposition; to be retrospective.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To act
backward , orin return ; to act inopposition ; to beretrospective .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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I remember the first thing slick Willy did was retroact taxes in his first year in office.
Paper Versus Meat 2008
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It's still new and, you know, there comes a point where you're in danger of just becoming a retroact and - unless you have a new record.
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In all such eases, odd as it may sound, our judgment may actually be said to retroact and to enrich the past.
Meaning of Truth William James 1876
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In their eyes the past was good or bad for itself, and the present good or bad for itself, and an evil past could no more shadow a virtuous present than a virtuous present could retroact to brighten or redeem an ugly past.
Miss Ludington's Sister Edward Bellamy 1874
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That woman could not retroact and touch the memory of Ida.
Lost 1898 Edward Bellamy 1874
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